Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (The Musical)

‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (The Musical), is inspired by the book by Roald Dahl and the wonderful characters he created.  It features music by Marc Shaiman and music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, featuring additional songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, from the 1971 motion picture ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.’   This production was directed by Charlie Parker (in her first directing role with the society) and Luke William, who worked together to bring their musical vision to colourful life.  It is also the 50th anniversary of Harrowby Singers. 

The show opens with the ensemble and full cast singing ‘Candyman’ as a young Charlie Bucket, moves among the other characters oblivious that he is about to meet the man who will change his life forever.  

Willy Wonka (Len Batey) himself appears coming down the stairs (looking like a Wonka Bar in chocolate brown top hat and orange waistcoat) and informs the audience he is now ready to pass on the legacy of the chocolate factory to a worthy successor.  Wonka is then surrounded by the ensemble, who shield him while Wonka quick changes into a shopkeeper of a run-down sweet shop.  Now wearing a flat cap and apron, he prepares to meet Charlie Bucket the hero of our story.  Charlie innocently tells Wonka that he is ‘out of touch’ and then proceeds to tell the bemused Wonka his own life history! Charlie says he would give anything to visit Wonka’s legendary factory.  Something special about Charlie, has sparked Wonka’s attention as he listens to his obvious delight describing his favourite Wonka bars and how he would improve them.  

On the way home, Charlie meets Mrs Green (a lovely comedy cameo from Yvonne Hamley) selling vintage vegetables - she sells him a rotten cabbage and throws in the snail for free!  Charlie lives with his mother (a tender performance from Rebecca Sale) and his bedridden grandparents who, despite being poor, have lots of love for Charlie and his big dreams of being a chocolate inventor. When his mother gives him a notebook for his homework, he quickly writes down all his ideas for confectionery inventions and puts them in a letter to Wonka folded into a paper plane.

Charlie’s mother is frustrated by his constant daydreaming fuelled by the influence of his Grandpa Joe (played with impish glee by Tim Turner) who is filling his head with tall tales about his life working in the Wonka factory.  We then learn (via newspapers held up by the grandparents) that Wonka is reopening his factory but with a twist - he has hidden five golden tickets in his Wonka bars and the lucky recipient will get a tour of the factory and a lifetime supply of chocolate.  This is a dream come true for Charlie, but his worried mother, concerned that he has high hopes which will only lead to bitter disappointment, tries to keep Charlie’s feet firmly on the ground.

One by one, we are introduced to the winners of the coveted golden tickets, via the TV host Jerry Jubilee and roving reporter, Cherie Sundae.  Starting with Bavaria, the home of Augustus Gloop (played with guzzling glee by Corey Hall) who has swapped his sausage eating habit to consuming 50 Wonka bars a day and his insanely proud mother (Jenni Watson) who is constantly fuelling her son’s gluttony so there is: ‘More of Him to love.’   Next, we meet the spoilt diva Veruca Salt (a petulant performance from Megan Woodfield) a Russian ballerina who has her hapless father and Peanut Magnate (Jack Dennis) firmly under her thumb: ‘When Veruca Says.’ Then back  to America to meet the Bubble gum diva and ‘The Queen of Pop’ – Violet Beauregarde (Leah Dobbin in her debut role with the society) and her equally appalling mother (Tina Willliams) dressed in velour tracksuits. 

Another ticket is found, this time in Iowa by the electronic devices obsessed Mike Teavee (played by Anastasia Stevens-Brewin with all the arrogance of the worst of her generation) the sulky tech obsessed teenager.  We see him tied to a chair by his own mother (a wonderful performance from Nicole Cutbush) a borderline alcoholic just teetering on the edge of psychosis, clearly terrified of her controlling son: ‘That Little Man of Mine.’

Charlie is crushed, and his mother sings a beautiful ballad ‘If your Father Were Here’ sharing her memories and knowing in her heart that things would have been very different for Charlie.   Miraculously (with a little help from Wonka), Charlie finds the last remaining Wonka bar containing the final golden ticket.  His pure glee at finding the last ticket is infectious and we share his excitement ‘I’ve Got a Golden Ticket.’  Grandpa Joe, bedridden for forty years suddenly leaps out of bed, dances a jig and gets dressed to accompany Charlie on the journey of a lifetime.

Once in the factory, each of the competitors are dispatched in the gruesome style of their own various vices and we are left with Charlie as the last child standing - but will he get his just reward?

Costumes were good (Emma Wolley.) The ensemble were largely monochrome, so the more colourful costumes stood out.  I loved the Oompa Loompas in their dark green clothes, long-sleeved purple tops and dayglo accessories, the 50s style outfit worn by Mrs Teevee and the pink tutu under Mr Salt’s coat. I noticed lots of tiny attentions to detail, for example a patch on Charlie’s trousers and washing-up brushes on Grandpa Joe’s overcoat also the enormous, monogrammed bibs for the grandparents.

Musical direction from Chris Mahony was via a live band to accompany the musical numbers and the singing was very good with some lovely harmonies from the ensemble. Choreography, by Leah Knight, was excellent and perfectly reflected the personality and hometown of the competitors.  I particularly liked the Oompa Loompas’ dances and ensemble numbers. 

The ensemble was used well in all the scenes, whether as the crowds outside the factory or backing dancers in the themed scenes.  I loved the Oompa Loompas holding up signs saying ‘danger’ as they tried unsuccessfully to warn of the perils ahead. 

 The stage was a two-level set, decorated with grey brick wallpaper to represent the Wonka Factory featuring  a real smoking chimney.  It provided a backdrop to the entire show and was used well allowing the cast to move around. Various structures were wheeled in and out, such as the sweet shop cart and the Bucket’s home with the grandparents on the bottom level of a huge bunk bed. The bed caused some problems moving on and off set, but as it was the opening night, I’m sure this will be addressed in future performances. I recognised ‘Wonka’s Bubble Gum Machine’ which has been used to good effect in many other productions. The scene with the Great Glass Elevator was very good, using lights and a raised platform to create height.  Lighting was used to good effect highlighting different parts of the stage and blackouts used to allow sets to be brought in and out.

The props were good and perfectly created the chocolate factory theme, especially the oversized Quality Street style chocolates in the factory and simple brown sheet used as the chocolate river.  Choreography was well executed with the dance numbers matched to the country of origin or personality of each child, for example, Bavarian dances for Augustus Gloop, Russian ballet for Veruca and a feisty hip hop number for Violet.  

On the night I attended, Charlie was played by Erin, who, from the moment she came on stage, was perfectly in character and her innocence and enthusiasm shone through.  Even when she required a prompt she stayed in character and did not let it phase her.  Her singing voice was beautiful, and she created an entirely believable character full of humility, and boundless imagination.

Len Batey as Wonka was wonderfully eccentric, almost like a children’s entertainer, I half expected him to produce a bunch of flowers from his jacket at any moment.  He was a trickster, displaying a sardonic deadpan sense of humour, demonstrated when he tried unsuccessfully to warn the children of the outcomes to their behaviour. I loved his reply of ‘Niete’ on Vercua’s demise.  Len has a good voice and his delivery of his duet with Charlie at the end was a definite highlight.  His interactions with young Charlie were delightful and the final scene in the glass elevator was very touching.

Tim Turner as Grandpa Joe was also a fun character, bringing his tall tales to entertain Charlie.  He was Charlie’s protector and supporter of his dreams.  You could really feel his frustration and anger when he realised Wonka had tricked Charlie. 

Rebeca Sale created a kind and caring Mrs Bucket, concerned at his constant daydreaming but recognising he had inherited all these traits from his father.  She had enchanting, haunting vocals especially in the moving solo ‘If Your Father Was Here’ where she was joined in a beautiful dance with the ‘ghost’ of her dead husband.  

There were some fantastic performances from everyone but some other standout performances for me were from Megan Woodfield, who was wonderful as the entitled Veruca, switching between pouting and simpering as she wheedled and whined then exploding in fury when her goals were not met.  Due to illness her role was reprised by Amy Arms-Rawden, who stepped in confidently creating her own version of Veruca as she fawned over the squirrels who would eventually seal her grisly fate.  Well done! Also, Nicole Cutbush as Mrs Teevee, who flirted outrageously with Wonka and couldn’t conceal her delight as she tucked her ‘mini Mike’ in her handbag, finally getting him back under her control. Leah Dobbin was excellent as the sassy Violet even managing to dance and sing while chewing her gum and spinning perilously around the stage in an inflatable blueberry costume.

Finally, a special mention to Kelly Myciuk, who gave a perky performance as the reporter Cherrie Sundae who, when faced with some technical hitches, delivered some perfect in-character ad-libs.

Thank you for the lovely warm welcome from Director Charlie Parker, and the invitation to meet the cast after the show. I had a lovely chat with Mr Wonka himself, Len Batey, who is also Chairperson of the group.

Well done to Charlie, Luke, the entire production team and all the creatives involved behind the scenes for bringing this ‘world of pure imagination’ to life.  

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